July 4 Plymouth needs more money, participants and volunteers

Friday

Jun 16, 2017 at 2:00 PM

With the sudden change in the weather from wet and cold to more seasonable temperatures there comes the realization that summer is almost upon us and, less than a month away, the first major holiday of the season, July 4.

Frank Mand fmand@wickedlocal.com @frankmandOCM

PLYMOUTH – With the sudden change in the weather from wet and cold to more seasonable temperatures there comes the realization that summer is almost upon us and, a couple of weeks away, the major holiday of the season, the Fourth of July.

Plymouth’s July 4 Committee has not been put off by the weather but has been diligently working to prepare for this year’s festivities including the traditional parade, the traditional fireworks, and the traditional plea for help from the community.

A contingent from the July 4 Committee appeared at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting this week to provide an progress update, details of the day’s celebration, and a call for volunteers and donations.

Long-standing July 4 volunteer Jeff Metcalfe began by noting the theme of this year’s parade ("A Salute to Superheroes") and this year’s Grand Marshals (Anne and Ben Brewster), and nthen let other committee members address three major elements of the day: the road race, the parade and the fireworks.

Anne Marie Winchester noted that, for the road race, downtown road closures and parking restrictions (details are on the July4Plymouth.com website) will begin at 5 a.m. that Tuesday morning.

At 7:30 a.m. the Old Colony Club will process from its Court Street location to Coles Hill where the Declaration of Independence will be read, and at 8 a.m. the club will fire off its canon, which provides a sufficiently loud retort to be heard down at Stephens Field where the blast will signal the start of the 5K road race.

Matt Tavares then spoke about the parade, emphasizing that many local organizations and individuals who have participated in the past had yet to make a formal application (July4Plymouth.com) to march and needed to do so immediately (June 23 is the deadline).

At the moment, Tavares said, that they had six bands and 35 entrants in the parade, including the Plymouth High Schools Band.

“I’m really hoping to see local youth leagues, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other community organizations join in,” Tavares said, adding that this year there are three categories of awards, and two special trophies for the entry that best captures the theme and the entry that best captures the spirit of the day.

Tavares noted as well that there is no entry fee for nonprofits.

The parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m., and participants are asked to be at the assembly area between 7:15 and 7:30 so parade organizers can have sufficient time to get everything in order for a smooth parade. For details on when and where participants should assemble, look to the July4Plymouth.com website.

The fireworks that night are expected to be spectacular for two specific reasons.

First, as the town gets nearer to the 2020 commemorative year there is an effort being made to make the entire event better each year. So, for example, the Plymouth Philharmonic will play every year through 2020 (it has the past two years; it had been appearing biannually).

And secondly, as those who were in Plymouth last July 4 may recall, the fireworks show was shortened because of an accident on one of the barges.

“This year,” Metcalfe said, “I am hoping the fireworks will be more vertical than horizontal.”

Erica Metcalfe said the committee had raised $90,000 of the $125,000 it needs to pay for the show, but that, as usual, donations were coming from a limited number of individuals.

“On average less than 150 families, businesses, and individuals support the parade,” Tavares said.

Tavares announced that the Fit Factory gym at Kingston Collection was a new lead sponsor. And the Hynes family – owners of the Manomet restaurant 42 Degrees North – stepped forward to announce that, for the fifth year in a row, they were making a substantial donation to July4Plymouth.

With his father Kevin by his side 42 Degrees North Manager Erik Hynes presented the July 4 Committee with a check for $5,000, saying that it was in memory of Montana Hurley, a 20-year old waitress at the restaurant who recently died in a car accident.

Metcalfe concluded the presentation by calling on Plymouth residents to support this long-standing volunteer effort either by helping on the morning of the parade, marching in the parade itself, or making a generous donation.

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